Of light and shades
by Jade MacGrath
Summary: Elizabeth is a former ballerina gifted with empathy, and an old friend of Gabriel Gray. But one day, Sylar accidentally kills Lizzie's fiancé... R&R!
1. Prologue

Title: Of light and shades

Disclaimer: I don't own Heroes, otherwise Elle Bishop would still be around...

Characters: Elizabeth Porter, Gabriel Gray/Sylar, Peter Petrelli; other Heroes will make an appearance

Rating: T

Beta: vysed and Kathryn Shadows

Summary: Elizabeth is a former ballerina gifted with empathy, and an old friend of both Gabriel Gray and Peter Petrelli. But one day, years after Elizabeth left New York, Sylar accidentally kills Lizzie's fiancé, and begins coveting her ability too...

***

Prologue

_Welcome to the best day of my life!_

_…Ok. Sorry for my pathetic attempt to sound sarcastic. I definitely have to work on that._

_I'm currently in a hospital bed, and my friends just left me to get something to eat. Doctor's order. Since that man invested me with his car they never left me for a second, so it was a proper lunch in the hospital mess, or an IV in the arm._

_I've been lucky, or so everyone says. I'm grateful to God for saving my life, but I don't feel lucky with a dislocated shoulder, a head trauma a broken knee and other minor injuries. To top the situation, Peter said I was unconscious for more than 24 hours._

_I remember the accident. I was walking down the street listening to The Blue Danube on the IPod, with my keys already in my hand, ready to relax in the bathtub after a real hard day. I waited for the green light and I crossed the street like I did every day in the last four years. My necklace chose that moment to break._

_When I got up, that car hit me full force._

_My roommate saw everything from the window, and he told me that for a moment he feared I was dead. The drunken bastard didn't stop to see what he did, but I know police captured him while I was still unconscious._

_I also remember my friend trying to keep me awake, but the only think I could think of in that moment were the new pointe shoes in my room, that I bought in the most expensive shop in New York. I wanted something special to celebrate… after my dance company did The Nutcracker I received so many positive reviews. The New York Times praised my interpretation in the leading role and defined me a young promising étoile. Me! Little Elizabeth Porter from Dittmer, Missouri! I felt like I could touch the sky._

_But unless this morning the orthopaedic surgeon was joking, and I really think he wasn't, my dancing career is just over._

_According to him, my knee is like a melon after a 15-story fall. With some other surgeries and lot of rehab I will be able to walk again, but dancing like I did before the accident? No way in hell._

_So, this is how it all ends. And it's not fair._

_I came here after an audition for the American Ballet six years ago. My dance teacher was sure I could make it. I wasn't. I thought I was good, but not good enough for the American Ballet… let alone the ABT II program, that took only the best young dancers._

_In the end, she was right, and I was wrong. And shocked._

_My family wasn't so thrilled to see me go away, to live in the big, scary city with no friends or family to lean on. I was scared too, but my dream was coming true… nothing else mattered. That was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity._

_The other reason why my family didn't want me to go was… well… I'm a very sensitive person. It's easy to hurt me. It's not like I'm stupid or naïve, it's just… the way I feel things is very different from the way the other people feel the same things. Grandma keeps saying it's a gift from God. I can understand people, make them feel better… Well, I wish sometimes God picked up someone else to gift with this thing. Because of this, everyone always treated me like I was some kind of delicate china doll, so I thought that going to New York would help me to become tougher and help my parents to stop see me as a little girl. And it worked, for a while. But I felt lonely… I had friends between the other dancers, but no one knew me for real._

_Then came Gabriel._

_The artistic director loved ancient watches, and that shy guy that lived and worked in that little shop in Queens was the only watchmaker skilled enough to fix them when they broke. Sometimes I found him in the corridors, but we never spoke. Then my grandfather's watch broke, and I literally begged him to fix it. Funny moment, actually: I was all dressed up to go to the practice room, on the verge of a nervous breakdown because that watch was probably the most valuable thing I possessed, and he was there, shocked that one of those girls he always admired from afar knew his name and was actually speaking to him._

_I explained Gabriel that I could pay him, but he shrugged and said he didn't want anything in return. The day after he brought me back the watch, and I convinced Gabriel to let me buy him at least a cup of coffee to thank him. It all started there._

_When living with the others became… difficult, emotionally speaking (I knew how everyone else was feeling. Pity that I didn't know how I was feeling…), Gabriel offered me his couch until I could find something better. I got lucky again… and I met my best friend #2._

_Peter._

_Gabriel wasn't sure it was a good idea, but I couldn't sleep on his couch forever, and the guy that put the announcement in the bulletin board at the university library lived in Manhattan, not far from my 'workplace', as Gabriel jokingly referred to the theatre. I gave him a chance. And after I met Peter, a guy that studied to become a nurse, I realized we were the same. Emotions were our strength and our weakness. He was kind, sweet, on the run from an oppressive family and totally not interested in me, I clearly felt it. The perfect roommate._

_And his studies made him really helpful when… well, you know when._

_Now you know everything there is to know about me._

_The spell is broken. My dreams lay shattered all around me. I don't know what to do._

_It may sound childish but… I the only thing I want is to go home. I loved New York, but now that my career is over, I can't live her anymore._

_I have to go back where everything started._

_And start again._


	2. Chapter 1

_Years later..._

Elizabeth's expression made June Carter, her friend and doctor, laugh. Hard.

"Oh, come on! You didn't imagine _that_?"

"Certainly not! We have been careful…"

"According to your analysis Liz, you have not been careful enough."

"I can't believe it… I'm _pregnant_?"

"Yes, darling, you are."

Excitement. Joy. Elizabeth felt her friend's emotions and smiled. She was happy and excited, but she was also confused. When she was a ballerina she thought she would wait before having children, even when she came back to Dittmer and started taking Psychology classes between knee surgeries and rehab sessions. She never thought that now wasn't so strange an idea anymore. Especially considering that the handsome orthopaedic surgeon that put her back on her feet – Dr. Rafe Jordan – now was her boyfriend.

Elizabeth loved Rafe, but she never carefully analyzed the emotions she felt towards him. Definitely not what someone would expect from – according to _Activating Evolution_, by Chandra Suresh – an empath.

Rafe's feelings for her were deep, true, and incredibly strong. He was a former admirer of the star Elizabeth Porter, and when he discovered she lived near him he immediately contacted her. He never promised her more than he could give her and he never lied to her. Elizabeth now had a completely normal life thanks to him and she could walk like anyone else. She limped a little, but only when the weather changed.

Rafe encouraged her to give dance lessons to her niece and then to apply for a job at a proper dance school. Elizabeth owed everything she was to him. When she came back from New York, life was incredibly hard for her. Peter and Gabriel called almost every day to keep her fighting. They wanted to come see her, but Elizabeth always said no. She was depressed, apathetic, and had no clue what to do with her life. And then Rafe entered her life like a ray of sunshine…

Elizabeth smiled. Now she knew. She felt an enormous gratefulness towards Rafe. What else? Happiness. Because a guy like him loved a broken girl like her. And, love. Yes, love. It was one of the many shades of the feeling people labelled as 'love' anyway.

It was, however, not the same one he was feeling for her… But now, with this baby, things would change.

And they would change for the better, she was sure of it.

She phoned her boyfriend as soon as she left the hospital with her first sonogram. (She almost fainted when the doctor told her she was already three months pregnant… how in the hell had she managed not to notice?) She didn't mention it; she just assured him that everything was fine and that she had something to tell him.

"What a coincidence, Liz, I have something to tell you as well."

"You got the promotion?"

"No. Better than that."

"OK, now I'm curious."

"Quite right to be. Listen, I have to go to the gym and I know you have to meet with your mother, so… see you later. I'll cook. Don't be late!"

Rafe ended the call before Elizabeth could beg him to stay away from the kitchen. She could tell that he was really excited, like a soda can on the verge of exploding; and she felt that shade of happiness that she had become accustomed to in the last few years. Only children and her boyfriend could make her rejoice in life that genuine and complete was just like him before the accident. She was always ready to see the bright side in every situation. If dancing hadn't been so great a part of her life then maybe she could have found a positive side in her situation as well.

According to her grandmother, the positive side was that she could now study Psychology.

She kept repeating to her that helping others by using her gift would make her feel better and take her further than her dancing career. Elizabeth hoped she was right.

She still wasn't ready to let go. Elizabeth never told anyone but she still had her pointe shoes, the ones that she never had the occasion to wear. Sometimes she took them out of their box and imagined dancing in a theatre with her good friend – now promising star – Grace Ozpetek.

Everything ended so abruptly; she never had a proper chance to say goodbye. And probably never would.

Elizabeth shook her head and plastered a smile on her face. She was a mommy-to-be and she had to look happy and excited seeing as she had to stop by her mother's. If she saw her sad, she would conclude that Elizabeth was thinking of New York and her broken dreams; and hearing her _'you have to move on and stop thinking miracles could happen' _speech again was the fastest and best way for Elizabeth to go home to Rafe angry.

Luckily for her, everyone – her mother and sister – was too busy acting weird to notice her eventual sadness. They were doing a great effort not to look excited. Elizabeth could tell it was the same kind of excitement she felt when she was talking to Rafe.

"OK, game's over. What's wrong?"

"Nothing, dear, everything's fine!" said her mother. "And you? What did the doctor say? Are you pregnant or aren't you?"

Her mother's feelings almost flooded her. Elizabeth took a deep breath and decided there was no point in denying the truth. Her mother was deliriously happy to become a grandmother, and everyone else felt the same as she did. Everyone seemed more excited for this baby, but Elizabeth thought it was just because she was still shocked by the news. Anyway, she still had the feelings that she had felt before telling them about the baby… what were they hiding from her?

Her mother tried again to dissimulate and change the subject, but Elizabeth wanted the truth. In the end her sister gave up and told her with a smile that she hoped she would like the gift Rafe bought her.

"Gift? What gift?"

"Well, he couldn't imagine you giving him a gift too, but they fit very well together. Some would say you can't have one without the other."

"Enough with the riddles, Julie! What gift?"

"What do diamond rings make you think of, sis?"

Elizabeth put a hand over her open mouth. Oh, God. A marriage proposal?

"Oh, we have to start with the planning now! You surely don't want to go down the aisle looking like a barrage balloon. Believe me, nothing like a baby can help you see things clearer. Only the future matters, not the past… and you probably won't have time for college, but that's fine… you have found the right man to take care of you…"

Elizabeth couldn't believe her ears. Suddenly she was back to the day she announced she wanted to go to New York. Her mother thought that the big news she was going to tell them was that she and her high school boyfriend were going to get married. She was actually disappointed that her older daughter dreamt of something bigger than having a family. And here they were again, only this time they weren't discussing a dancing career, but her college education. The only thing that mattered was that she had found a man that could 'protect her from the world'.

"I'll keep studying, Mom. I want my degree."

"But darling, where will you find the time to look after a child, a husband and your studies?"

Condescendence. She hated when people talked down to her and made her feel this way inside. Like she was a child who couldn't do anything by herself…

"I will find it."

"Hiring a stranger to raise your child?"

Superiority. And something else, just lying underneath… Frustration? Elizabeth wasn't sure. What she was sure of was that if she didn't go out of there quickly she would say something she wouldn't regret. She didn't want to become a housewife like her. She knew the world was a bigger place, she saw it with her company during her brief career and she didn't want to be confined in Dittmer forever. Rafe and the baby were her future, but so were her degree and her gift. Her mother didn't want to hear that, and Elizabeth stormed out of the house. She decided to go home. Rafe was probably still at the gym, so she would have the apartment all to her self before his return; and enough time to calm down and work on a convincing surprised face.

But Elizabeth realized that Rafe wasn't at the gym. He was probably inside working like a madman to surprise her. There were rose petals on the doorstep and a long red rose was tied up to the doorknob with a silk ribbon. It was enough for Elizabeth to forget all of the anger and her doubts. Everything would go just fine. She was happy; he was happy; there was a baby on its way; and they were going to get married. He would get his promotion; she would get her degree; and then they could move to a bigger city after a year or so. Maybe not New York, but some place like that. Family was good, but when the fights started to happen too much often it was the signal she had to go away. Far away.

"Rafe? Where are you?" asked Elizabeth once inside, inhaling the flowers' scent.

Everything was set for their dinner in the living room (and Elizabeth felt relieved to see Rafe was only joking when he told her he would cook: catering bags on the kitchen counter!), but Rafe was nowhere in sight.

Then she looked inside their bedroom and the smile disappeared from Elizabeth's face.

Rafe was lying in a puddle of his own blood. His head was cut open and she could clearly see that his brain was missing. Elizabeth started breathing faster. She wanted to scream, but she somehow lost her voice. She wanted to run and ask for help, but she was petrified.

The only thing she could do was to look at Rafe's body and beg God to wake her from this nightmare. The last thing Elizabeth felt was her body falling on the floor. Then everything went dark around her.


	3. Chapter 2

When Elizabeth woke up, she was at the hospital.

At first she didn't know why she was there, and no one seemed eager to tell her what happened. But that distinct shade of pain and sorrow she could feel inside his father and the other family members around her… She knew it. She had felt it for the first time when she was seven and her grandfather had died. Death made people feel that way. The death of a loved one.

It hadn't been a nightmare.

A doctor went to see her moments after, and he tried to explain her what happened without upsetting her; an impossible task. The poor girl lost a fiancé and a baby in the same day, and there was no painless way to tell it.

Elizabeth didn't cry, or scream, or did something else to show her sorrow. She just stared at the void in front of her during the doctor's speech. She never heard the end of it.

The doctors told her family she fell into a catatonic state because of the shock, but that was only half true. Elizabeth didn't want to feel anything. She wanted to block all the pain, the sadness and the pity the others were feeling for her… Elizabeth didn't know how or why; it just happened. But blocking other people's feelings had the side effect to block hers as well. It was like living in a soap bubble. Focus on something – anything – would make reality break into her dream world, where nothing wrong happened and Rafe was still alive. So she didn't. She knew she couldn't stay that way forever; however, she wanted to enjoy it for as much as she could.

The day before the funeral, Elizabeth eventually woke up. All the feelings she avoided to feel hit her all at once with the strength of a hurricane. Elizabeth found herself gasping for air; her heart was racing so fast she was afraid it would come out of her chest.

For the first time since she saw Rafe dead, Elizabeth cried; and she kept crying till she fell asleep from exhaustion.

When she woke up, Elizabeth took the phone and called Gabriel. Peter might be the one she was more in contact with, but Gabriel… the friendship she shared with him was something different. She couldn't tell why. There was something between them, something special. There had been since the day they had met. In the last months she talked more with his answering machine than with him, but she had to try. She needed to speak with his friend.

Once again, the answering machine. Elizabeth sighed, and tried not to burst into tears again for that.

"Hello, Gabriel. It's me… Elizabeth. I really need to talk to you. Please. Call me back this time, it's really important. Bye" she said, and ended the call before starting to sob.

Her phone rang a few moments after. She took a deep breath to calm down, and answered the call.

"Hello?"

"Liz, it's me."

Elizabeth closed her eyes, and listened to Peter's voice. He heard about the murder on the news, and he apologized for not calling her sooner.

"How are you?" he asked, cursing himself immediately after.

"I've been better. Or worse. I have no idea."

The tone of her voice made Peter's heart ache.

"That's a first."

Elizabeth choked a sob. "He wanted to marry me."

"I'm sorry, sweetheart."

_Not as much as me_, thought Elizabeth, slowly touching her stomach.

"Do you want to talk?"

"Hope you don't have to go anywhere."

"I'm exactly where I want to be."

Peter and Elizabeth talked for an hour or so, he even managed to steal a little laugh from her. And he promised to be there for the funeral, even if the world would end that day.

The prospect to see Peter after two years of emails, letters and phone calls did the trick. Elizabeth gathered all the strength she had left, and prepared to face the world and the wake.

The worst thing about being an empath like her was attending social events. Rafe's funeral was no exception. There were lots of person that made her sincere and heartfelt condolences but the fact that some false friends of Rafe were there too made her desire to scream. She could feel the hypocrisy behind every smile, every word, and it made her sick. Fortunately for her, Peter was there to hold her hand and offer a shoulder to lean on. Elizabeth tried to contact Gabriel again after they left the church, but she had to leave another message. She didn't mention the funeral. Maybe she should have. But she didn't want him to call her out of guilt.

"Still nothing, huh?" asked Peter, watching Elizabeth toying with her mobile. He sat down on the bench in the patio, near to his friend, and took off his jacket and tie.

"No. But last time I heard Gabriel he told me he had this new job, that he would have to travel a lot across the country…"

"But missing two messages? And the news on TV? That's weird."

"No, that's him. Once he's set on something he's stuck."

"Do you want something to eat?"

"Please, no. Food still makes me feel sick."

"I think I saw some breadsticks at the buffet table. What do you think?"

Elizabeth gave him a little smile, and nodded slightly. Peter squeezed gently her shoulder and went back inside.

She almost jumped when she heard her phone ring.

Gabriel.

"Elizabeth. Sorry, I forgot to check the messages. How are you?"

Elizabeth smiled.

"Better, now. How are you? We hardly speak any more."

"I'm sorry for this. But you have no idea of how my life is changed in the last months. I won't be an insignificant watchmaker anymore. You'll be proud of me."

"Again? You've _never_ been an insignificant watchmaker, stop believing to what your mother says. I always envied your manual skills."

"As I always envied your way of walking inside a room and charming everyone."

"That was long time ago. I'm going to be a psychologist now. Gabriel, the reason I called you…"

"Elizabeth, I'm sorry, really sorry, but I have to go. I'll call you back, I promise. Bye."

"Gabriel? Gabriel!"

"Everything ok?" said Peter, returned from the buffet with a plate of food and some breadsticks for Elizabeth.

Elizabeth sighed and put away her mobile. "Gabriel phoned me but he couldn't talk for long. I didn't have the chance to tell him."

"Maybe he discovered it for himself."

"No. He didn't know about Rafe. I felt it."

Peter gave her a strange look, and Elizabeth tried to minimize. "I mean, in his voice! He was so calm… relaxed…"

Elizabeth hoped Peter would buy it, but he kept looking at her in a strange way. Elizabeth couldn't define what he was feeling right now, and when she couldn't read a person she got nervous.

Peter asked her out of the blue if, by chance, she had read _Activating Evolution._

"Yes. I did. Why?"

"He is right, Elizabeth. Everything Suresh says in the book it's true."

"Oh, come on…"

"You're an empath. Now I know. You're like me."

"What do you mean 'like me'?"

"I'm an empath, too. Ok, not exactly like you. I can absorb other people's abilities. You can feel other people's feelings like they were your own, right?"

"How the hell do you know this?!"

"One... You're too much sensitive not to be an empath. Two… I can feel your doubts. Your uncertainty. And lots of things I can't even name…"

Elizabeth stared at Peter open-mouthed, while Peter put the face in his hands and tried to regain control of his new power.

Elizabeth put a hand on his kneww and told him to breathe deep and slowly.

"Focus, Peter. I know it's like you can't feel your feelings anymore but they are still inside of you… you just have to concentrate and find them."

Peter did as Elizabeth told him, and the confusion in his head began to fade.

"Oh God…" he said, after a deep breath. "Is it always like this?"

"I'm afraid so."

"How can you…? I mean, it's..."

"I know. Welcome to my world. So… we're both empaths?"

Peter started again to tell her about Suresh's theories, about the other people he met that had powers as well. Elizabeth couldn't believe it; and yet, it was all real…

"I think we got this powers for a reason. Maybe we can change the world."

"In this moment the only thing I'd like to change is what happened to Rafe and my baby."

Peter was going to reply, when they both heard Elizabeth's mother speaking to someone, inside Rafe's parents' house.

"…and now she'll be back to square one. Depression and all, like when she broke her knee. Truth is, I felt relieved when Rafe told me he wanted to marry Liz. But now… she hides it very well, but she's lame on her right leg, because of that accident. Lame. Who would want a lame girl?"

"Marion, your girl has so many skills…"

"She had to stop believing her dreams will come true. Always a dreamer, like her father! Knowing her, that day she probably crossed the street without watching…"

Elizabeth for the first time had a clear view on the feelings her mother felt towards her. That woman had always hidden very well her resentment towards her; Elizabeth had to give her mother credit for that. She never suspected a thing. Or maybe she didn't want to see it for what it really was.

Dislike, envy… and that shade of evil joy she felt only once in Anya Petrovna, her rival. She visited her in the hospital, after the car accident, but no one of her words were sincere. She was rejoicing; now that Elizabeth was out of the game, she would be the new company star.

Elizabeth forced herself to stay put and listen to the whole speech, under Peter's worried look. Just before the end, Elizabeth quietly got up and went back inside.

Everyone in the room noticed her presence but her mother. Eventually the woman Marion was talking to noticed Elizabeth and excused herself, glad to walk away from the line of fire.

Only then, Marion turned and saw her daughter.

"Elizabeth! Where have you been?"

"When did you start hating me, Mom?"

The direct question took the woman off guard, but only for a few seconds.

Maybe Marion Porter didn't hate her own daughter like she hated her ex-husband, but sure as hell, she didn't love her.

It was Elizabeth's fault if she had to marry at eighteen with the high school boyfriend she planned to leave behind as soon as she would graduate. It was her fault if she had to let go all her dreams and hopes to stay home and raise a baby. And then that little girl received a pair of dancing shoes for her birthday and decided that dancing would be her life. Everyone was so happy, but not her… she had to let go everything to raise her; Elizabeth had to pay for this. But his father saved penny after penny to grant his little girl the dancing classes in St. Louis; he was so proud of her when the American Ballet accepted her.

Then Elizabeth came home defeated and with a broken knee, and she felt happy. Now the little princess finally knew what it was like to see a dream broke in front of your eyes. But again, she had to fulfil another dream, thanks to all the strange ideas her grandmother put inside her head. She decided to go back to college, and then she met that surgeon that made her walk again. Marion knew she didn't love him as much as he did, but she pushed her towards him anyway. And that baby would be the icing on the cake. Her daughter would be trapped in a relationship with a baby to raise.

Like it happened to her. The perfect revenge.

Elizabeth couldn't read her thoughts, but she sensed her inner turmoil. Her hate. For a second she felt like she was going to faint because of it. Peter was right behind her. Elizabeth could feel his hands on both her forearms. He knew what that woman thought of his daughter, and he couldn't believe a mother could even conceive such thoughts.

Marion limited to stare at her, without concealing anymore the rage she felt towards her older daughter. Elizabeth felt a single tear running down her cheek, and doing as Peter whispered to her ear, she turned and walked away from that place. She didn't need her mother to say anything. She already had her answer.

Julie immediately ran after her sister, but once she was in the street she couldn't see nor Peter or Elizabeth. They had just disappeared. She didn't want to go inside and face her mother, so she went to Elizabeth's apartment, hoping to find her there.

"Liz, I don't know why she said those things, but…"

"_I_ know" said Elizabeth, packing her things. "And believe me, you don't wanna hear half of her reasons."

She immensely regretted to have asked Peter if he could read minds. Elizabeth wanted to know the truth; he unwillingly obliged. She didn't want to give her burden to her sister.

She stuffed her duffel bag with a few clothes and a few other things, and asked Julie to send everything else to Peter's apartment in New York.

"You're leaving. She wins."

"No. If I stay, she wins. She want us to live her life because she can't stand us to realize our dreams."

"That's why we get along so well. I don't have dreams. I'm not special. You are."

"For crying out loud, Julie, enough with this bullshit. You are still young. You can do whatever you want with your life."

"I failed my SATs. No college would take me. I will be stuck at Marge's Diner with Mom forever. But this is not your place, it has never been. Go back to New York and be magnificent, OK? For me?"

Elizabeth hugged her sister tightly. "I will. Promise. But you are coming to New York as soon as I'll find a place to live."

"If that Marge bitch gives me a leave, sure."

"New York is full of restaurants, of all types. I'm just saying."

"Who knows. Maybe one day I'll pack my things too and I'll knock at your doorstep."

"Don't say 'maybe'. Do it. I'll be waiting for you."

"Go now, or we'll have another teary goodbye. Remember our last? I'm not doing it again! And you, Peter" said Julie, looking at the young man in the eyes "take care of my big sister, ok?"

Peter nodded, smiling, and took Elizabeth's bag from the bed.

Elizabeth and Julie shared another hug, and then Elizabeth left.

Maybe it was a mistake, going back to New York. Elizabeth still wasn't sure she was ready to deal with that part of her life, let alone deal with _that_ and what happened more recently all at once. But she couldn't stay in that place anymore. She needed her friends. She needed to think, to understand what would she do now.

Elizabeth slept through all the flight, and when the plane landed in New York she woke up feeling disoriented and sick. Too many people in the airport, too many different feelings, all together in her head. Usually she could control it, but she was feeling too bad to concentrate. Peter had to do it for her; he shielded her the best he could. Elizabeth didn't even know it was possible, but she thanked God for that.

Once at Peter's apartment he offered his bed, but Elizabeth refused and said she would take the coach.

It didn't matter. She knew she wouldn't sleep anyway.

Her phone rang in the middle of the night. Elizabeth replied quickly, in the dark, trying not to wake Peter. If she was Julie, she would kill her…

"Hello?" she whispered, without checking the caller ID.

"Lizzie, it's me. I'm sorry for what happened before…"

Elizabeth smiled. "You are calling me back, Gabriel, that's enough."

"Why are you whispering?"

"I'm sleeping at a friend's house. I don't want to wake him."

"Do you want to talk in another moment?" asked Sylar. He was calling her after he killed a man to take his power – water manipulation. The same he was following when he called her earlier that day. Elizabeth sounded upset for something, and even if they almost didn't talk anymore, he still cared enough to call her back and ask her what was wrong.

"And talk again for days with your answering machine? No. I'm getting used to your late night calls, anyway."

"You wanted to tell me something. You were upset. I felt it in your voice. What happened to you?"

"My boyfriend died", whispered Elizabeth.

"Elizabeth… I'm so sorry. Oh God, let me take a plane and…"

He hoped she would say no. He loved Elizabeth, but his search for the other evolved humans was more important than everything – and everyone – else. Even her.

"I'm not in Missouri anymore. Actually, I'm in New York."

"Really? Me too. I'll leave again soon, but we could meet. No, we must meet. It's been too long."

"I agree."

"Listen, what about tomorrow afternoon at the shop?"

So he would have enough time to come back home and become Gabriel Gray again.

"Perfect. See you tomorrow, then. Bye, Gabriel."

"Bye, Liz."

Sylar smiled. Talking to his friend while contemplating his latest victim made him feel strangely happy. Maybe he should start calling Lizzie more often, after killing someone.

Against all odds, she still had a place in his heart. Maybe she was just an insignificant human, genetically speaking, but to him she always had been more like an angel. A bright angel that had looked at him when for the rest of the world was just an insignificant man. Elizabeth, like her mother, always believed he was special.

He had to tell her she was right.

With a touch, he reconstructed all the things that got broken during the fight. Useful gift, this one – this way, he would leave even less traces behind.

_Thanks, Dr. Jordan_, he thought with a smile. Acquiring that power had been really easy. He hadn't even tried to fight. Pathetic.

But what he really wanted now, was to find someone with the power of empathy. To defeat his greatest enemy, Peter Petrelli, he had to understand him first. But empathy was a rare gift… well, it didn't matter. He would keep searching till he would find what he wanted.

But not tomorrow.

Tomorrow Sylar would hide in the darkest corner of his soul, and Gabriel would make another of his rare appearances.

From the floor he picked up a pink rose. He remembered throwing the vase that contained them against that man's head with his telekinesis. Slowly he picked up the other roses from the floor and the cadaver. He smiled, and wiped away with his finger a drop of blood from one's petals.

Elizabeth loved pink roses.

That would make her happy.


	4. Chapter 3

Note: I wrote this chapter around the end of 'Generations', when Future!Peter shot Nathan. In this one, Nathan didn't survive.

* * *

Elizabeth awoke smelling fresh coffee. She yawned and rose from the couch. Peter was already up and drinking his coffee in the kitchen.

"Morning, Elizabeth. How did you sleep?"

Elizabeth sat at the table and poured herself a cup of coffee.

"Good, incredibly. The hard part is when I'm awake."

"I guess being assaulted by emotions that aren't your own doesn't help."

"Well, today I feel slightly better than yesterday; I can keep them under control. Like a radio when you lower the volume, so to speak."

"Nice metaphor."

"How can you bear it, Peter?"

Peter froze with the cup to his lips. He sighed, and put the cup back on the table. It didn't take a genius to understand she was talking about Nathan and his death. It had been months, but yet he couldn't accept it. He had been more than happy to leave New York for a couple of days, even to attend another funeral. Elizabeth needed him, but it was also true that he needed her as well.

"Sorry" Elizabeth said sheepishly. "I can't help myself."

"I have no idea, Liz. The pain never goes away. I feel…"

"Hollow, like you can't feel happiness again; like there is a massive black hole inside your soul that sucks everything in."

Peter looked at his friend in complete astonishment. Elizabeth shrugged and gave him another apologetic look. Peter smiled sadly.

"I couldn't have put it better myself."

"I hate this shade of pain. It's like you can't feel happiness anymore in your entire life."

"Shade?"

Elizabeth gave Peter a small smile "When you have to handle all these emotions, you learn to see the slight differences between them. Like the shades of a colour. I've always called them that."

"Always?"

"If I'm not mistaken, this thing started when I was five. It just grew with me."

"Sounds like a heavy burden to carry."

"Right now, it is. But I know it won't always be like this. The pain will… evolve, become something else. I'll move on; I will be happy again, even if now I can't believe it'll eventually happen. And so will you."

"It won't be easy."

"Never said it would be."

"So… what are you planning to do now?"

"Find a job, go back to college… see my old friends. I put together the pieces of my life once before; I can do it again. I think."

"Which friends?"

"Well, Grace, for starters. I heard she's preparing _The Swan Lake_ with her company, so she's in town. Gabriel is here, too… I'm going to meet him this afternoon."

"Be sure to slap him in the head for the way he treated you on the phone."

"I'll try and remember it."

Peter left a few minutes later to go to his mother. Losing a son just months after her husband's death took a heavy toll on her: she barely came out of her house anymore. Peter was her only contact with the outside world. Peter didn't say a word, but given her power, he hoped Elizabeth could help his mother, as soon as she would feel better. Angela had refused any kind of therapy; only his friend could shed some light on what was really happening inside of her.

But in that moment Elizabeth's biggest problem was finding the courage to enter the American Ballet facility again. She phoned Grace on her way there, so she knew she was rehearsing with the other dancers. But when she agreed to meet her there for a quick lunch, she didn't imagine how many memories this simple action would bring back in her head.

"Elizabeth? Elizabeth Porter?"

The French accent was unmistakable. Elizabeth laughed softly and turned on her heels to greet Marie-Hélène Danton, one of the theatre choreographers.

"Hello, Marie. How are you?"

"Everything's fine. What about you? You disappeared from the face of the planet!"

"Well, after what happened, disappearing from the face of the planet sounded really tempting; but no, I just went back home to Missouri."

"And now you're back here! Does that mean… well, is your knee…?"

"No. I can walk but that's it."

"This sucks. You were such a good dancer… I loved to make choreographies for you. You enhanced my work."

"Stop it right now, or you'll make me blush!"

And Elizabeth really meant it. She was used to be complimented on her dancing, but feeling Marie's sincerity while she was telling her this was even better. She entered the building with her, chatting about shows and Elizabeth's work as a dance teacher. Marie was sure she could try and apply for a job at the American Ballet school.

"You were a star, here. I'm sure everyone would be happy to have you back."

Elizabeth was flooded by Marie's positive feelings. She closed her eyes for an instant and took a deep breath, enjoying the moment. Elizabeth replied to the woman that she would think about it. She needed a job, after all, and teaching in her old school might give her the closure she was looking for.

And when Grace finished her rehearsal and joined her in the mess hall, she told Elizabeth the same thing.

"And the others would be so happy! We missed you."

"And I've missed you."

"Liz, listen… I wanted to tell you again how sorry I am for what happened to you. Do the police have a trail to follow?"

"Nothing. According to the FBI…"

"The FBI?"

Elizabeth nodded. "They are investigating other murders like Rafe's. According to them it is the work of a serial killer named Sylar."

"A serial killer? Oh my God… if you had gone home just a little earlier…"

"Maybe Rafe would be still alive."

"Or maybe you would've been both killed. God, fate… pick the reason you like the most, but I really think everyone has a destiny to fulfil before dying. And clearly yours wasn't to die that day."

"Maybe I have to save the world" said Elizabeth ironically, thinking of Peter's words at the funeral.

"Well, if that happens, give me a call. I'll take some pretty pictures" Grace said, laughing. Her smile disappeared when Anya entered the mess hall.

Grace narrowed her eyes, and Elizabeth felt hate and resentment coming from her friend.

Certain things never changed.

"So… Anya is still here."

"Well, the bitch is sleeping with the artistic director. She won't go anywhere anytime soon. But not even she will take away my role in _The Swan Lake_. Oh no. I worked too hard to get my role, she won't take it away from me."

"You have something she lacks. You are determined and strong-willed. And everyone can see your talent. Don't worry, no one will steal your part."

Grace took Elizabeth's hand. "You always know what to say to make people feel better. How in the hell do you manage to do that?"

"A magician never reveals his secrets" said Elizabeth with a smile. "By the way, tell me when the show premieres; I'll be there."

"Honey, I can do better than that. What about first-row seats for you and whoever you want to bring?"

"You're a star."

"And you better graduate, because if my life will get any crazier I'll need your professional help. Got it?"

Elizabeth smiled and nodded. She promised Grace to apply for a part-time job as soon as she would settle down, and then she let her go back to the practice room.

Elizabeth looked at her watch and decided to go. She still had time before her meeting with Gabriel, but she wanted to be sure to arrive on time, just to avoid his jokes on her lateness being written in her DNA.

Gabriel was still cleaning his long-forgotten shop when Elizabeth showed up. For a moment he panicked. He was nothing like Gabriel Gray. The hair, the clothes, they were all wrong. He thought that, with Elizabeth always being late, he would have more time to get things done… Apparently, she got more punctual in the last two years.

"I'm so sorry for the mess…"

"I'm here for _you_. Who cares about the mess?" said Elizabeth smiling. He found himself smiling back at her. He let the broom go, and he hugged his friend. He was going to tell her the truth – that he had really missed her – when he felt that oh so familiar sound in the back of his head.

_Tick-tock, tick-tock, tick-tock…_ He couldn't be wrong, he heard it too many times not to recognize it. He smirked. Elizabeth was like him…

Elizabeth let him go and smiled again.

"You have no idea of how much I missed you. I thought often of taking a plane and coming for a visit… but I couldn't bring myself to do it. Until now."

Sylar put his hands on her shoulders and told her how sorry he was for her loss.

"I'm sorry I didn't show up, but with this new job of mine… I barely have time for myself. "

"I know. Well, remember what you always told me when I danced: breathe every now and then!"

"Listen… why don't we get upstairs, in my apartment? We could have a cup of tea and talk without being interrupted."

"Sounds nice."

Sylar grinned. Perfect. Absolutely perfect. He led the way up the stairs, thinking of how it would kill two birds with one stone. A brand new power… and the knowledge that from that moment on, she would always be with him, like they were when she lived in New York years earlier…

Elizabeth stopped dead on the stairs. What were those feelings coming from Gabriel? They were… Elizabeth realized she didn't know how to classify them. She could recognize excitement, maybe joy, but the rest… the closest feeling she could associate with them was lust. But Gabriel never considered her that way... And there was something else beside that peculiar shade of lust, something dark and intoxicating…

"Lizzie? Is something wrong?"

Good question. Was there something wrong?

"No. I'm fine. Just tired… I'm always tired, lately."

She smiled with the absolute certitude Gabriel would buy her lie. She didn't like to lie to her friends, but she discovered that she was very good when she did it.

"Ok, then. Good, here we are… ladies first" said Sylar, after opening the door. He watched Elizabeth walking inside his house, and stopping near the window. She always did that. Sylar walked in the kitchen, and filled the kettle. Then he looked for a couple of mugs. And a big knife, just in case.

"So, Lizzie… what are your plans?"

"I'm going back to my Psychology classes. I suppose I don't have much of a choice, now."

"Why?"

Elizabeth didn't reply. Sylar went to look what Elizabeth was doing and he found her looking at Chandra Suresh's book. Elizabeth then looked at him with a strange expression in her eyes.

"You read it?"

"I gave it a look. You?"

"Yes, me too… Oh God, I didn't plan things to go like this… well, here goes nothing."

Elizabeth opened the book at the Empathy chapter and gave it to her friend.

Sylar looked at the book, shocked. Of all the people… of all the people that he could kill to acquire their powers, Elizabeth was gifted with the one he craved the most. But he had to be patient. Elizabeth was a friend, after all. He owed her that. And a quick and painless death.

He smiled at her, and found the chapter dedicated to his original power.

"I lied. I didn't give it just a quick look" he said, giving her the book back.

Elizabeth looked at the book, and then looked at him.

"You have a gift, too? And when did you discover it? Come on, I'm curious!"

"I think I always knew it. I just didn't call it with its name."

"I know. It's always been there. Your ability, my empathy… they're gifts from God. That's why I'm studying Psychology. I can help people. But what I wish now is to understand what _I_ am feeling…"

"Sit down, Liz… I'm going to check the kettle in the kitchen. If I may ask… what exactly happened to your boyfriend?"

"You really don't know? It was on the news. And in the newspapers."

"I was busy."

"Rafe was murdered."

"God… Do the police already have a name?" said Sylar, taking the mugs and walking out of the kitchen.

"Yes. Sylar."

Sylar froze in shock. The mugs shattered on the floor.

The evolved human… Dr. Rafe Jordan… was Lizzie's boyfriend? Did he kill _Elizabeth's boyfriend_?

"Gabriel? Is everything OK?"

"Yes… Of course it is" answered Sylar from the kitchen. "I'm just my usual clumsy self."

"Do you need help?"

"No! No, I'm fine…" started Sylar, but before he could say more, Elizabeth appeared in the door.

She kneeled on the floor without a word and start picking up the pieces.

"You don't have to lie to me, Gabriel. I know what you felt when I told you that name. It's not the first time you heard it, right?"

Sylar got up from the floor and turned to take a cloth. He also reached for the knife.

"I heard something. He's more like a ghost… no one knows who he is or how he manages to kill people without leaving a trace behind. Nothing more."

He raised his index finger, ready to turn and take Elizabeth's life, when he heard a chocked sob. Sylar relaxed his hand, and turned to face Elizabeth. She immediately got up with the rest of the shards in her hands.

"Sorry. I…"

Sylar cupped her face gently and wiped away her tears.

"Don't. You're not the one that has to be sorry."

He took the ceramic pieces from her hands and then hugged her. Elizabeth rested her head on his chest, and cried.

Sylar prayed Elizabeth was too confused to feel what he was feeling right now. He would kill Rafe again without thinking twice, but the mere thought of being the one that caused Elizabeth so much pain affected him more than he was willing to admit.

Sylar gently stroked Elizabeth's hair, and he couldn't help but think how easy it would be to slice her head open in that moment. She was distracted, she wouldn't fight back. But Elizabeth pulled him closer to her, and he did the same. No, he wouldn't kill her yet. But he would. He was sure of that. Empathy was too rare a gift to waste such a precious opportunity.

Elizabeth would meet Sylar real soon. But today she needed Gabriel, and he would do his best not to ruin his good proposition.

"I'm sorry" said Elizabeth, after calming down some. "Look at your shirt…"

"And I'm sorry for your cup of tea, that you had to pick up from the floor. We're even."

Elizabeth gave him a small smile, and looked at him while he took another two mugs from a kitchen cabinet and filled them with hot water and a new teabag. Elizabeth murmured a thank you when she received hers, and the two of them walked out of the kitchen to go in the small living room.

"Are you going to tell me what happened to you?" asked Elizabeth, sipping her tea. "Hair, clothes… I swear, for a moment I didn't recognize you."

"Do you like it?"

"Suits you."

"How can you tell? You just met me."

Elizabeth placed a hand above his heart. "Remember, I can read people. And what I feel now suits your appearance. That's all."

"And what are you feeling?" asked Sylar, intrigued.

Again, Elizabeth felt that strong, dark desire she felt on the stairs not long ago. It was in his eyes as well.

"What's this?"

"What, Lizzie?"

"These feelings. I don't recognize them. I never felt them before, actually. What are they?"

"I'm just my usual self, Lizzie. You're probably still upset. You don't feel things right."

Elizabeth knew he was lying. Another side effect of her power: she was almost a human polygraph. But she didn't understand why. What happened to Gabriel, and why did he have to keep things from her?

She closed her eyes, and when she opened them she told him that he was right. Another lie, but it did the trick. He relaxed a little, but those strange feelings just grew stronger. She promised herself after what happened with her mother that she would never, under any circumstances, underestimate her sixth sense again… but he was Gabriel. Her best friend. She was sure those feelings had an explanation. Every person was different, after all. And Gabriel was Gabriel; no one else was like him.

The ticking in his head was almost unbearable. Elizabeth was talking to him about her roommate – this Peter he never had the chance to meet – and of her plans to find a place of her own. God only knew how he resisted, enough for Elizabeth to walk away from there unharmed with the pink roses that made her so happy, like he knew they would. She asked him to come over for dinner by the end of the week at Peter's; he didn't remember what he answered. He probably accepted the invitation. Good. Their last meeting would be the last.

Deep inside his soul, the part of him he kept on repressing was shouting that he couldn't do that. Not to her. Not after what he had already done. Sylar shut down that voice.

Elizabeth awoke his conscience. That made her the most dangerous between the evolved humans.

That was the reason why she had to die.


	5. Chapter 4

By the end of the week, Elizabeth was feeling again slightly optimistic. Her friends were there for her, the school seemed really interested in having her as a dance teacher, and thanks to Sue, her academic file had been immediately sent to her new college. She would officially start attending classes the following Monday, when she would also sign the contract for her new apartment. Everything was falling into place, and that was why she was so excited for that dinner. Her life was going back on track, and she wanted the two most important men in her life to celebrate with her.

Elizabeth kicked Peter out of the kitchen for the entire afternoon; she was determinate to prepare everything by herself. Peter convinced her to let him at least prepare the table only after a little negotiate while the peach pie was in the oven.

"Appetizers? Should I make appetizers, too?"

"Jesus, Liz, relax! It's not an exam. And by the way, no. You cooked for an army! Do you remember we're three, right?"

"Sorry if it was my intention to feed you with something healthier than take-away food for once."

Peter raised his hands "No one's complaining, here. Hope your friend will be hungry enough to get to that wonderful pie."

Elizabeth suppressed a smile and decided not to tell him that the peach pie was Gabriel's favorite.

"Something tells me he will… and now it's my turn to get ready. God, look at me, I'm a mess..."

Peter and Elizabeth heard someone knocking at the door in that exact moment. Elizabeth rolled her eyes.

"Once" said Elizabeth, feigning annoyance. "Could he be late _once_?"

Peter chuckled and went to the door while Elizabeth ran to her room to adjust her hair and clothes.

His smile immediately vanished when he saw Sylar standing on his doorstep.

Sylar smirked, unable to believe his luck.

"Well, well, well… what a pleasant surprise."

Peter flexed his fingers, ready to conjure one of his powers, when he heard Elizabeth coming out of her room.

"Gabriel! Hi! Come in!"

Before Peter could block him, Sylar entered the room. He moved towards Elizabeth, but before he could say something, the girl brought an hand to her throat, like she was having difficulties breathing.

"Elizabeth, what's wrong?"

Elizabeth opened her mouth a couple of times but she wasn't able to speak. And even if she could, she wasn't even sure she could explain what was wrong. What she was feeling was so powerful that it was completely taking over her. Hate… who could ever feel so much hate?

Suddenly everything started to spin around her and Sylar caught her just before Elizabeth hit the floor.

"Let her go!" shouted Peter, but Sylar with a flicker of his hand shoved the empath against the opposite wall. He checked Elizabeth's pulse: her heart was still racing.

"Lizzie has always been too sensitive, even for an empath. She must have sensed the hate we feel for each other and that knocked her out" he said matter-of-factly, taking the girl in his arms and then placing her on the couch. He moved a streak of hair from Elizabeth's face and sighed.

Now more than ever, killing her seemed the better solution. He would get a new power, and he would seriously hurt Peter at the same time. He raised the finger, ready to cut her head, ignoring Peter's screams. In that exact moment, Elizabeth slightly opened her eyes.

"G-Gabriel… what happened?"

_Do it_, the voice inside him was saying. _Do it now and then kill Peter. Two birds with one stone, it's almost too good to be true_.

But he hesitated. He gazed into Elizabeth's blue eyes, and once again he felt his confidence fade away.

"You fainted, Lizzie. Someone here has worked too much for this dinner…"

"It's weird, I was feeling so good… now I feel completely drained… and dizzy… I'm so sorry…"

"It's OK" said Sylar, tightening his telekinetic grip on Peter's throat, so he couldn't speak. Lizzie didn't have to notice anything out of the ordinary.

"Why don't you just close your eyes and sleep?"

"But the dinner…"

"Another time. Be a good girl and close your eyes, now."

Elizabeth didn't need for Gabriel to repeat his advice. She couldn't keep her eyes open any longer. Once Sylar was sure Elizabeth was asleep, he went back to Peter.

"Sorry for the waiting," he smirked. "Where were we?"

"Leave Elizabeth alone," hissed Peter. Sylar laughed.

"I don't think I will. In fact, I don't even dream of it. Lizzie is mine, Peter. _Mine_."

He shoved Peter against another wall full force, and watched him fell on the floor, unconscious. He flexed his fingers, ready to kill him… but it stopped. Another plan had just devised in his head. Longer, but far more entertaining than this… Sylar smirked, and went back to Lizzie.

"Soon, my dear. Soon," he said stroking her cheek, and then he left.

As soon as he regained consciousness, Peter didn't waste a second to wake Elizabeth up and alert her on Gabriel's new identity.

Elizabeth didn't want to believe him. Gabriel was _Sylar_? The monster that had killed Rafe in cold blood? How was that even possible? She knew Gabriel; he wasn't a monster. But she knew Peter, too. He had never lied to her. Gabriel had, just a few days earlier. And there were those strange, dark feelings in him she didn't recognize…

"No. I can't believe it. I can't…" Elizabeth said, crying.

"He tried to kill us both, yesterday. I don't know what stopped him, but we were both damn lucky. Sylar never hesitated once."

"Who else of your friends have met Sylar?"

"Everyone has."

"I wanna talk to them. To all of them."

"Lizzie" said Peter, kneeling in front of her, "I know you're suffering. But it won't change a thing."

"I'm almost a psychologist. Understand how the mind works it will be my job. And I have to understand what happened. I _need_ it."

Peter sighed, and decided gave a call to Mohinder Suresh first thing in the morning.

After assuring Peter that he would keep Elizabeth away from the Company, Mohinder asked Elizabeth if she would answer some questions before start talking about Sylar.

"Fine by me. What do you want to know, Doctor?"

"Please, Mohinder is fine. Elizabeth, when did your empathy manifest the first time?"

"I was a kid. Five years old, give or take. A playmate scratched his knee and I felt his pain."

"It must have been confusing."

"It wasn't strong. I just assumed, like the rest of the world, that I was a very sensitive person. When I've read that book everything made sense."

"What book? _Activating Evolution_? My father's book?"

Elizabeth nodded.

"So your ability basically grew with you."

"Yes, but… It wasn't easy. I… I've been in a mental institution when I was a kid."

Both Peter and Mohinder exchanged a look. Elizabeth kept on talking, and explained how one day a child had almost died in a car accident near her house and her empathy had gone haywire.

"My emotions were really messed up… everyone thought there was something wrong with my head and my mother brought me in a psychiatric institution. My father took me away a couple of weeks later. She had left me there without his consent."

Elizabeth clutched her hands; not exactly the happiest episode of her childhood.

"The bright side is that the following month my father gave me for my birthday a pair of dancing shoes. Dancing gave me discipline and focus. Still does."

Mohinder nodded, and asked if he could take a blood sample.

Elizabeth nodded and bared her right arm "Sure. Doctor, when did you lose your father?"

Mohinder stopped just before piercing Elizabeth's arm and looked at her in surprise.

"You don't know?"

"That's why I'm asking. You smile and all, but that feeling of loss is always there every second of your life. When did he die? If I may ask. I'm sorry… It's a side effect of my empathy, I always have to speak my mind. Sometimes I freak people out with my questions."

"No… it's OK. That's the reason why I'm here, after all. Hold still" Mohinder said, while taking the blood sample.

"My world has already fallen in pieces, Doctor. Don't be afraid of speaking."

"Elizabeth… Sylar killed him. This is the truth. I know you might not believe me…"

"I do," Elizabeth whispered, close to tears. "Another side effect of my power is that I can tell if a person lies to me or not. And after what happened with my mother and Gabriel, now I'm more careful than ever with this thing."

"Very useful" said Mohinder, placing a band-aid on her arm. "Elizabeth…"

"Please, Lizzie. Everyone calls me that."

"OK, Lizzie… I have to warn you: your empathy is a very rare gift. And Sylar goes after rare gifts. Peter can count on the powers he absorbed, but you…"

"I can't stand a fight. Story of my life."

"He will come after you. You have to be careful."

"Doctor Suresh, I appreciate your concern and your advice. But he had the perfect occasion to kill me twice up to now, and he never did it…"

"What? I don't understand."

"I went to his apartment to say hello; he was there. We chatted for a while and then I left. I felt there was something wrong in him… but I chose to ignore it. I couldn't believe such dark feelings could come from Gabriel. And then there was the dinner."

"Sylar is merciless. I've seen his victims…"

"So have I."

"Don't make the mistake to believe he would spare you because you two have a past together. He killed even his own mother. No one's safe."

Elizabeth promised to both men not to go looking for Sylar at the shop or at his apartment. They were genuinely worried for her, and she decided to give them what they wanted to hear. But she had already decided she would go again at the shop, to look for him. There was still good feelings in him, the feelings she had always associated with Gabriel. Until she would feel them, she would keep hoping that one day her friend would come back.

Maybe she was underestimating him, but she needed answers. And he was the only one he could gave them to her.

***

The day after she went again at Gabriel's shop. The door was opened, but there was no one in sight. She could feel him, though. Satisfaction. Excitement. Hunger. Greed. Sylar was there, and he wasn't surprised to see her. Like he was expecting her to show up there.

"I knew you would come. You had to see for yourself, don't you? Some things never change."

"I guess," said Elizabeth, getting closer to him. "Who are you? How am I supposed to call you now?"

Sylar looked straight in Elizabeth's eyes. He smirked. "With my real name. Sylar."

Elizabeth raised her hand to slap him hard in the face but Sylar caught her wrist in midair.

"Careful, Lizzie. Don't put your hand in the cage."

The way he was looking at her… the light she had felt only a few days before was reduced to less than a half. Gabriel was losing the battle.

"What the hell happened to you?"

"I stopped lying to myself. I stopped pretending I was happy with my life!" he said, clutching Elizabeth's wrist more tightly in his hand. Elizabeth grimaced in pain; she tried to free herself, but Sylar caught her other wrist as well and pushed Elizabeth against a wall, keeping her still with his telekinesis.

"Gabriel… please…"

"Gabriel is gone, sweetheart" he said, with his face only inches far from hers. "No one will save you."

"You won't harm me," Elizabeth said with a shaking voice, but trying anyway not to look scared by him or the situation. "_He_ won't let you."

Sylar raised a finger. "And this is where you're wrong."

Elizabeth started screaming. The pain was unbearable… she could feel her skull breaking, the blood pouring from the cut and onto her face… she begged him to stop, but he laughed at her and kept going.

When he stopped, Elizabeth fell on the floor like a ragdoll, crying in fear and touching the cut at the side of her head. Sylar watched her for a few seconds, then he abruptly grabbed Elizabeth by her shoulders and put her back on her feet.

"I wanna give you a chance," he whispered to her ear. "You were my best friend after all. Don't look for me ever again. Stay out of the way. And don't get involved with Peter and his pathetic little friends in their holy crusade against me. Break one of these rules, and I'll finish my job on your head, Elizabeth. Do you understand me?"

Sylar watched Elizabeth's head nodding. She was trying not to cry, but he could hear her anyway.

"Good" Sylar said, pushing Elizabeth far from him and sending her against a display cabinet.

"And now leave before I change my mind."

Elizabeth obeyed, and slowly walked out of the shop. The blood kept pouring from her wound and down her face, but she didn't care. With the little lucidity left in her, she made up a silly excuse for the cut and went to a ER to get some stitches. The doctors asked her if she had been assaulted, and she had replied no, she hadn't. She made a mental note to use that excuse with Peter and Mohinder, though. They would act all supportive and protective, and they wouldn't ask questions, since they were both convinced she was a fragile china doll.

Maybe she wasn't fragile, but she was stupid. What the hell was she thinking? Stepping inside the lion's den, knowing that Gabriel wasn't himself anymore… Grandma was right: her empathy would lead her to choices the world wouldn't understand. But this time she agreed with the rest of the world. She had been wrong; it was important not to make the same mistakes again.

Elizabeth moved into her new apartment as soon as it was humanly possible. She did her best to be left alone, but Peter didn't have any intention of leaving her alone. Maybe he didn't have the same type of empathy she had, but he could tell something was wrong even if Elizabeth didn't say a word about her encounter with Sylar. But after all she wasn't breaking any rules… she was staying away from the action or the others evolved humans. She went out with Peter for a beer or a movie from time to time; they were friends after all. And since Gabriel wasn't Gabriel anymore, Elizabeth devoted herself not to lose Peter's friendship as well. She even repressed her problems and tried to help Angela get over her depression.

The more Peter and Elizabeth grew closer, the more Sylar wished he had killed that annoying boy when he had the chance. So he wouldn't walk down a street with her, with an arm draped on Elizabeth's shoulders like he could see from his hiding place. They were laughing. Elizabeth rested her head for a few seconds on Peter's shoulder, smiling; Sylar could remember how Elizabeth had done the same thing several times with him, years earlier.

Of all people, why did she have to be friend with his sworn enemy?

But she was playing by the rules. She was leading a completely normal life. She didn't even say a word about the cut on her head. And seeing Peter for a drink or a movie wasn't forbidden.

Sylar kept looking at them, burning with hate, rage and jealousy, and wished he could come back to that day and forbid Elizabeth to see Peter, as well as the others.

He was going to move and disappear in the crowd when he gave another look at the couple. He didn't expect to lock eyes with Elizabeth while she was waiting to cross the street. Peter didn't notice his presence but she did… he guessed it was because of her empathy. She clearly had felt some strong, dark feelings and did the math.

He smirked to her; Elizabeth just looked at him without revealing any emotions. She didn't want Peter to notice. It wasn't the first time she sensed him around her but it was the first time she actually saw him.

Elizabeth lowered her eyes for a second; when she looked back at him, Sylar was nowhere to be seen.

Sylar wanted her to break; he wanted her to ask the other evolved humans for help and break the rules he had given her, so to have an excuse to kill her. He wanted to play with her like a cat with a mouse it planned to eat.

Elizabeth felt like she was walking on the thinnest ice layer.

She prayed God not to make her fall.


	6. Chapter 5

A couple of months had passed since Sylar's game started, and Elizabeth was close to the breaking point. Just a couple of weeks earlier she had suffered a panic attack after being stalked by the killer for an entire day. The ER doctor that had looked after her wanted Elizabeth to speak with a psychologist, but she used her powers on him to convince the doctor to let it go. Still, he had given Elizabeth some drugs to keep her anxiety under control, and Elizabeth had clung onto that bottle of pills like a life-safer. She couldn't sleep, she was afraid of leaving the house, and she perfectly knew that wherever Sylar was, he knew he was winning the game.

Elizabeth was really close to take the phone and call Peter to tell him everything. She lost count of all the times she picked up the phone with that intention, but she just listened to the line signal without ever dialing his number.

If Sylar wanted to kill her, no one could protect her. She liked to think she was helping her friends this way. Keeping them safe was the only thing that kept her going.

And then one evening Mohinder called her out of the blue.

"Hello, Lizzie. It's been a while since we last spoke… I was worried about you."

He didn't need to say why he was worried about her. Elizabeth sighed and faked cheerfulness.

"No need to be, Mohinder. I'm perfectly fine. How's your job? You sound tired. You _are_ tired. Stressed."

"You could say this of every person here in this facility."

"I don't care about the others. I'm talking to you."

"Yes, I'm tired. Things are… complicated. Something is happening but they don't tell me much."

"And something tells me it's better this way."

"By the way, I've finished examining your blood. I think I've found the genetic traits responsible for your ability."

"Good. I mean, good for you. It doesn't change much for me, right?"

"I'll see to it. I don't break my promises."

"Neither do I," Elizabeth whispered. Then a familiar darkness flooded her, and Elizabeth shivered. No. It couldn't be. Oh God…

"Lizzie? Lizzie, are you alright? What's wrong?"

Elizabeth wasn't listening to Mohinder anymore. She slowly put down the receiver on the table.

"Hello, Lizzie."

Elizabeth shivered, but she didn't turn to face him. Her heart was racing like never before in her life.

Sylar smirked. "Are you talking to Mohinder? Tsk-tsk… that's against the rules, Lizzie. Now I'll have to punish you."

"I didn't look for him. He looked for me."

"You could've ignored the call. Instead you answered… what should I think, Lizzie?"

Elizabeth didn't reply. She slowly reached for the paperknife on the table, but before she could clutch it in her hand, she felt Sylar's telekinetic grip on her. She was like frozen, completely helpless. Elizabeth heard the killer walk until he was right behind her. She was grateful his telekinesis was holding her; she would already fall on the floor otherwise.

"Don't think I like doing this. Killing you won't give me any pleasure. But it's… imperative. Evolution is imperative," he said, stroking Elizabeth's hair. "And your empathy is a gift too rare, too special… You'll be a wonderful addition to my collection."

Elizabeth felt his hand move lower on her, circling her waist. He inhaled the scent of her hair, and tightened his grip.

"I've always wondered what would've happened if I had been like this _before_. What could've happened between us if I hadn't been so scared to take what I really wanted. I was so hopelessly in love with you, my beautiful ballerina, and you never noticed it… Maybe I can delay your death a little longer, after all," Sylar said, grazing Elizabeth's skin beneath her shirt and moving higher. "What do you say, Lizzie? What are you willing to do to live a little longer?"

Without his telekinesis to hold her still, Elizabeth involuntarily leant against his chest. Sylar's hand moved on her breast, but before he could do more, Elizabeth grabbed the paperknife and stabbed Sylar in the leg with it, twisting the blade inside the wound. Sylar screamed in pain and Elizabeth took advantage of the moment to get away from him.

"Not so fast, bitch!" Sylar said, using again his telekinesis to shove Elizabeth against a wall. He took a moment to look at her – helpless, scared, completely in his power – and then he tore her shirt apart. Elizabeth shut her eyes when she felt again Sylar's hands and mouth on her. She didn't want to know, she didn't want to see… the absolute terror she was feeling in that moment was overwhelming. It was too much for her, she couldn't bear it…

It was like a nuclear bomb exploded within her. And before she could realize what the hell had happened, she felt Sylar scream in agonizing pain. Elizabeth watched the killer crawling on the floor, clutching his head. A quick check made her realize he was feeling the same emotions she had felt minutes ago…

Elizabeth had nothing to lose anymore, and decided to try and do that again. She concentrated, trying to feel again that energy within her, and thought of all the most recent painful memories: what she felt when she had found Rafe's body, when he almost killed her in his shop… when he tried to rape her. The more he screamed, the more Elizabeth kept on using that new power of hers. Rage and hate ruled her. And she was feeling so good in torturing him for all the sins he had committed she almost didn't notice when he stopped screaming. Sylar laid prone on the floor. completely still, staring at the void. He looked like a broken doll, so helpless and unable to do harm…

Just then Elizabeth started to realize what she had done. She retired in the farthest angle of the room and she let herself fall on the floor. Elizabeth hugged her knees and hid her face against them, crying.

Mohinder and a team of Company agents arrived a few moments after. As soon as he had realized that Sylar was attacking his friend, all the promises he had made to keep Lizzie away from the Company were forgotten in an instant. He gathered the field agents available plus the two in visit from the Connecticut branch, and they immediately left Hartsdale with him without asking questions. As soon as he saw Elizabeth on the floor he moved towards her but Kara stopped him.

"I'll take care of Elizabeth," she said. "Go to help Aaron with Sylar, Doctor."

Mohinder hesitated, but he did what the agent – Kara - said. Kara reached Elizabeth, and knelt before her.

"Elizabeth? Can you hear me?"

Elizabeth slowly rose her head. Kara smiled.

"Why don't we sit on the couch? We'll be more comfortable there," she proposed. Elizabeth nodded weakly, and Kara helped her onto the couch, sitting down beside her. Elizabeth clutched the plaid throw draped over the couch and wrapped it tightly around her.

"Elizabeth… My name is Kara Wycliffe. I'm here to help you. Can you tell me what happened here?"

Elizabeth was staring at the void, and she didn't seem to have heard the question. Kara touched her hand, but Elizabeth jerked away from her touch, frightened.

"Elizabeth… I know it's hard and that you don't want to talk about it, but I have to know. I can't help you otherwise."

"I don't want to be helped," whispered Elizabeth. "I deserve this pain. I can't believe what I've done to another human being."

Kara bit her lower lip. Maybe it was her training, but the words 'Sylar' and 'human being' didn't add up well in her brain.

"Whatever you did, you just defended yourself."

"I don't know what happened. I felt this sudden burst of energy coming from inside of me… and then I felt drained for a second or two, while… while he started screaming."

"Doctor Suresh tells me you're an empath. I don't have any direct experience but… could it be possible you projected your feelings in Sylar's head?"

Elizabeth shrugged. "I don't even know what that means."

"A monster's nightmare is to be confronted with all the bad things it has done. It doesn't surprise me Sylar couldn't take it."

"Did you met him before?"

"No. I'm one of the lucky people in this world that never had to face him. I teach children how to use their powers in Hartford, when I'm not doing things for the Company."

That name rang a bell in Elizabeth's head. Was that the organization Peter told her to stay away from?

"You are a Company agent."

"I am. We all are. Mohinder heard what was happening on the phone and we came running to help you. It's what we are for… helping other people like us."

"Peter told me how you help people. How you helped _him_. I shouldn't talk to you."

Kara frowned. "I don't know what are you talking about. It's the first time I come here in New York."

Kara was 80% sincere, Elizabeth realized. And she really want to help her. But she was lying on something. She knew about Peter, or about the way used to find other evolved humans. Before she could ask, another agent came by them. He was tall and good-looking, and presented himself as Aaron Gray.

"How is he?" asked Elizabeth.

"Whatever you did, sweetheart, it worked. Sylar won't kill anymore, and all thanks to you."

"_Did I kill him_?!?" shrieked Elizabeth, hyperventilating.

"No! No, Elizabeth… According to Mohinder he's catatonic, but it's not dead."

_Unfortunately_, he thought. And Elizabeth didn't miss the regret inside of him.

"Elizabeth, why don't you come with us? You're still shaking like a leaf. You might want to talk to someone… we have a good psychologist at the Harsdale facility.

"And a lot of people might want to congratulate you. You're, like, our heroine."

"I don't feel like a heroine."

"But you are," said a male voice coming from the door. Elizabeth didn't turn, but she could see that Kara and Aaron weren't so happy to see that man. And from what she could feel, she wasn't happy either. It was… shady. Like he couldn't be trusted, ever. Bob gave a distasteful look at Sylar, and joined Kara and Aaron. He was feeling… fatherly towards Kara, but Kara didn't reciprocate the feelings. Quite the other way around. And she was really surprised to see him there, everyone was. Bob stretched his hand in front of Elizabeth, but Elizabeth didn't take it. Bob let his hand fell on his side.

"I'm Bob Bishop, miss Porter. On behalf of my organization I'd like to say… thanks. You succeeded where everyone else has failed. We owe you eternal gratitude."

"How did you know we were here, sir?" asked Kara.

"Kara, I think you already know the answer."

"Of course. Well, If I wanted to live inside the Big Brother house, I would apply for the game."

"It's just a precaution, my dear. And the security section doesn't abuse of its power. But now we have more important things to discuss. Miss Porter is clearly traumatized, and after the service she rendered to our people is only fair we take care of her wellbeing. Kara, Aaron, please bring her to our doctors in Hartsdale. I'll take care of Sylar."

Kara and Aaron gave a quick glance to Mohinder, who sighed and nodded slightly. If he couldn't take care of his friend, at least he knew she was with a couple of the few Company agents that weren't heartless bastards.

Elizabeth tried to protest, but the truth was she was relieved. If someone would take care of her, that would mean she could shut off her brain and stop thinking. She tried once again to concentrate and stop feeling other people's emotions, but the only thing she could achieve was to keep them all at the lowest level possible without falling in a catatonic state again. Kara and Aaron didn't leave her for a second. They got her examined by a doctor, and watched behind a glass while a psychologist tried to break inside the wall Elizabeth built around her, without success. Everyone wanted to see the girl that annihilated Sylar, but Kara, fearing an emotional breakdown, kept her away from the crowd. The only thing that seemed to shake her a little was Mohinder's arrival. He immediately hugged Elizabeth, and Elizabeth started to cry.

"Shh… it's ok, Lizzie, it's ok… no-one will harm you. You're safe now," he said, stroking her hair.

"What happened to me, Mohinder? What happened to him?"

"We'll figure it out together, Lizzie. Don't worry."

"Mohinder… how is Gabriel?"

Mohinder couldn't understand how Lizzie could ask about his conditions, after all he had done to her, but he kept his thought for himself.

"Sylar is… is not there. He's empty. I don't know how to describe it better, Lizzie. Can you describe me what happened during your fight?"

Elizabeth didn't reply, so Kara did it for her. She could see the girl and Mohinder talk, but she couldn't hear them. She was too busy analyzing what Mohinder had just said to her.

At first she feared she had taken a life, but what she did what worse, a million time worse. She took a life without killing her victim. She wasn't an heroine, no matter what the others said. There was a person now that thanks to her was just an empty, soulless shell. It didn't matter he was a killer, it didn't matter he tried to kill her. She let her dark side rule her and use an ability, a potential she didn't know she had inside of her. Elizabeth always thought her ability to be more a gift than a curse. But she never imagined it could make her dangerous.

After she had heard Peter's tale, Elizabeth always thought that she would never have a valid reason to trust the Company, if they would ever cross path with her. If that encounter had happened a couple of months before, she would've immediately run away like hell without looking back.

Ironic how things could change in so little time.


	7. Chapter 6

Note: Megan Thomas doesn't belong to me but to my good friend dana_serenity. You want to know more about her, go check her LJ!

* * *

Elizabeth watched the view outside her window without really see anything. She blamed the apathy on her medications… That inhibitor clouded her mind, and in a way impaired her sight. She had always relied on her power to understand the world, the people… Like a blind girl would do with her stick, she probed everything and everyone with her empathy. Now she was alone in her head. She cherished the silence, but still she was feeling incomplete, like someone cut one of her arms out.

She chuckled, and went away from the window. What a stupid thought. She had asked for the inhibitor as soon as Kara mentioned she had used it till not long time before to keep her power – magnetokinesis – from getting out of control. She _begged_ for it. Without someone to shield her from her powers the way Peter did (the Haitian was too important an asset to stay all the time in her room), everyone agreed it was the better solution until she would find a little peace of mind. Until she would realize that what she did wasn't a mistake. Like she could wake up one day and turn off the guilt she was feeling…

She heard the door opening, and she jumped off the bed, adjusting her plain shirt and sweatpants.

"Well, Elizabeth, how are you doing?"

Kara was a gift from God. She seemed genuinely interested in her and in her situation, but unlike the others she didn't want to push her recovery. Elizabeth didn't develop a full depression, but she was still overwhelmed by guilt and pain. Kara remembered when she had found herself in a similar situation, when she was eighteen and she accidentally blanketed a few counties with an EMP. Different scenario, same state of mind.

And then there was a brown-haired girl that never entered her room. She just stayed outside the glass, and looked at her. Elizabeth couldn't tell how she was feeling towards her. One day she looked angry, the other sad, but most of time it was like watching a Sphinx in the eyes. When Elizabeth told Kara about that girl, she replied saying that the girl's name was Megan Thomas. That name immediately rang a bell in Elizabeth's mind. Megan. The prom girl, as she labeled Megan many years before, when Gabriel told her about his horrible prom experience. The other girl in Gabriel's life. His first love.

"She hates me, doesn't she?"

"No. She knows Sylar had to be stopped. I think she's just curious about you."

"She wonders what Gabriel might have told me about her. The best friend and the former girlfriend… a guy's worst nightmare, if the two became friends," Elizabeth commented grimly. "Of course, the guy has to be conscious of what's around him. It can't work if he is in a permanent catatonic state."

"Enough, Lizzie," Kara said. "Stop torturing yourself. You defended yourself… it's called self-preservation instinct, everyone has it."

"I never thought I'd be able to hurt someone. This is not me."

Kara put an hand on her shoulder. "Listen… It's been two months. the doctors think it's time for you to stop taking the inhibitor… to get your power back. So? What do you think?"

Elizabeth bit her lip. "I don't know. Maybe. But if I don't feel comfortable…"

"You go back taking the meds. Don't worry."

"Ok, then. I want to try."

"Awesome. I'll go telling the doctors, then."

Kara left immediately. It was clear enough that she was happy she decided to go off the inhibitor… It had worked for her. Elizabeth hoped it would work for her too.

Three hours later, Elizabeth could clearly feel her empathy coming back. The other people's emotions were still weak, just a sensation in the back of her head, but that was enough to make her smile. She had spent enough time in the darkness… enough time mourning her friend. It was time to go back to her life.

Suddenly a strong wave of coldness hit her without warning. It was completely different from the gentle feeling the dampened emotions gave her… she had never felt something similar in her life.

Then her eyes met Megan's gaze from behind the glass, and Elizabeth understood.

The coldness. That was Megan. Her ability. The total absence of feelings… Elizabeth inadvertently smiled. They were the two sides of the same medal.

Megan entered the room and closed the door behind her.

"I heard you're stopping taking the inhibitor."

"People talk around here."

"Do you know who I am?"

"Yes. I… sort of feared this moment."

Megan frowned. Elizabeth had to give her that… her mimic of human emotions was good. She really looked confused, even if she didn't feel that emotion inside her.

"Why?"

"Because of what I did. I know you and Gabriel…"

"Exactly. Gabriel and I had a past. Sylar was just a monster. You of all people should know this. He killed your fiancé in cold blood to steal his power."

Elizabeth flinched, feeling the wound reopening. Megan noticed, and apologized.

"I'm sorry. I never know when to stop."

"How can you…? I mean, the inhibitor…?"

"I'm not afraid of my ability."

"Neither am I. But how can I concentrate on myself if my primary instinct is to listen to others?"

"Have you tried that with him?"

"Yes. He almost killed me in his shop. But I could feel it, Megan… Gabriel was still there! Mercy, love, kindness… all those feelings that always defined him were there! Like a candle in the darkness. I couldn't harm him… I was sure he couldn't harm me either."

"Then the light extinguished itself and you found the courage?"

"Sort of. He wasn't Gabriel anymore."

"Then why are you here? It's what Bishop and the others don't understand. You probably saved thousands of people with your Jedi mind trick."

"Maybe you're used to torture or to see people killed, but I surely am not. I took away the soul from another human being. If he's a monster, so am I."

"Are you planning to do that again? Are you planning to do that to innocent people as soon as you walk out of this place?"

"No!"

"Then you're not a monster. You're just… human."

Elizabeth sighed and sat on the bed. "So, what now? I'm not so naïve to think you people are going to let me go like nothing happened, so I'd like to hear what's the Company has in store for me."

Megan folded her arms in front of her. "Nothing you wouldn't want to do already. An empathic psychologist could be really useful around here. And after what you've done for them, they're willing to give you everything you want to keep you inside the Company."

"It sound like a good offer. Then why do I have the impression I would sell my soul to the Devil If I said yes?"

Megan looked at Elizabeth with a curious expression, but Bishop entered the room before she could speak.

"I heard the good news, miss Porter. When you're ready I'd love to have a word with you… in private," he said, eyeing Megan.

"Certainly, Mr. Bishop."

"Please… call me Bob," said with a smile. He left soon after and Megan gave Elizabeth a warning look.

"Be careful with him. He's…"

"Shady, morally gray, ambiguous, not trustworthy and without a conscience? Come on, Megan, give me a little credit," she said with a small smile. "I'm good at studying people, too."

Megan gave her a little smile as well, and exited the room. Elizabeth followed her figure walking down the corridor, then she combed her hair and took a deep breath, ready to face the head of the Company. But at least she wouldn't have to fly blind.

Elizabeth felt her smile vanish moments before she approached Bishop's door. The empathy was gone, again! It was like she was once again on her pills. Confused, she opened the door. Inside the office there was Bishop, plus a young Haitian man. Right, the Haitian. Bishop wanted to talk with her without her analyzing every feeling, or using her power as a lie detector. Smart move, she had to give him that.

"Please, miss Porter, sit down. And please, don't mind my colleague, you can talk freely in front of him."

Elizabeth sighed deeply, and did as she was told. She politely refused the drinks Bob offered her and she asked, feigning ignorance, why he wanted to speak with her.

"I was told you're a psychologist in training. An empathic psychologist is definitely an asset for every man smart enough to recognize it. Have you already thought of your career opportunities?"

"I… no, actually, I didn't. I'm still busy with my classes, and with all that happened I've fallen behind with my schedule…"

"Everything has been taken care of, Elizabeth. You can give your missed exams again, at a time and place of your choosing. You won't lose the year."

"Well… thanks. Really."

"About your career… your gift might be very useful here. Your ability to recognize when someone lies, other than understand the inner turmoil a person can experience… you're a godsend. I hope you will join us after your degree."

"I don't know what to say… thanks, Mr. Bish… I mean, Bob. I'll definitely keep your offer in mind."

"I'm sure you will."

"Bob… are there any news on Sylar's condition?"

"His condition is stable. He won't harm anyone ever again."

Elizabeth slightly nodded. Her friend was already lost when she attacked Sylar. She killed the monster, not Gabriel… she had to keep that in mind. It was what everyone expected her to do, anyway.

Going back to her life, though, was more difficult than she anticipated. Peter now knew of her ties with the Company, and he didn't like it, no matter how much Elizabeth tried to convince him that they just helped her without using her as a guinea pig. She wasn't calling her only surviving best friend a liar, but… but there were things she didn't understand of that place. There were people like Bob and that psycho girl, Elle… but also people like Kara and Aaron, so caring and willing to help. Why couldn't she be like them?

Of course, for that to happen, Bob didn't have to run the Company anymore. Elizabeth didn't trust him one bit. That was why she couldn't believe her ears when Kara showed up at her doorstep a few days after telling her that Bob Bishop was dead and a friend of Kara's, Meredith Kershaw, was filling the position until a new head was found. Elizabeth couldn't understand why a British girl could step in and take the reins of that place like nothing happened. Wasn't there a chain of command? But according to Kara, Meredith's father was very rich, very well-connected, and decided to try and take over the Company. Another war between the original founders… Elizabeth wasn't interested at all in their fights. But she wanted to know how Bishop died.

"He died in his office. Carbonized. If Elle didn't have a real strong alibi…"

Incertitude. Afraid to tell something important. Something personal?

"Do you have something to do with that alibi?"

"We were having dinner together at my place. Then we had a Meg Ryan marathon all night long. Who would've thought she loves romantic comedies so much…"

"Funny. Sounds like something I would do with my sister."

Embarrassment.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing! I just forgot how perceptive you are… "

Elizabeth frowned. Something she said just caused that reaction. And the only possible thing was…

"You're _so_ kidding me."

"I'm afraid not."

"She's your _sister_?!?"

"Yes, I know, no one would believe it."

"Including me! Why… Your name is Wycliffe! How did you…?"

"Come out nice and mentally stable? I love to think it was thanks to my adoptive father."

"Adoptive father?"

"Long story."

"The gist of it?"

"My father experimented on us. One of the doctors couldn't stand it. He tried to get both of us away from him, but he managed only to save me. There's more to this, but I really don't like to talk about it. I run a place called Level Three near Hartsdale… I teach children how to use their abilities."

It wasn't a lie but it wasn't the truth either.

"And other things, if I'm not mistaken."

"Yes," Kara said with a smile. "But it's classified. Sorry. Besides… Most of the time I wish I didn't know all that stuff."

Elizabeth couldn't blame her. "I know the feeling. But… Bob? How are you coping?"

"I never considered him my father. Just my boss. Elle on the other hand… she's my sister. She needs me. And I think we'll both need you… If you feel like taking two patients before your graduation."

"Listen… your sister might need to see someone more qualified. And less afraid of being electrocuted if she gets angry."

"Strange as it sounds… Elle's a sweet girl. Bob was so focused on her power to forget her and her needs. And I need to know what's going on inside of her. Otherwise I can't help my sister."

Elizabeth bit her lip. "Come tonight… we can have dinner together and see if she wants to talk to me."

Kara hugged her. "Awesome! Thanks!"

Elizabeth was sure Kara wasn't sad for her biological father one bit. Elle, on the other hand, grew up with him. He had been her only source of affection and love, and her grief for his loss was mixed up with the anger for what he had done to her. She was like a little girl… like the trauma of losing her big sister and of what Bob did to her prevented Elle from properly growing up. But Kara was very good with stubborn kids with great powers… Elizabeth was sure Elle would be no exception.

Listening to Kara and Elle and their messed-up family history helped Elizabeth not to think of what happened. In addition to that, Julie, her sister, had been more than happy to dump their bitchy mother and her horrible work at Marge's Diner to come to the Big Apple and live with her sister, but when Elizabeth went to sleep at night and she was alone with her thoughts, she couldn't help but think of Gabriel and Sylar. In Elizabeth's head, they were two distinct entities, but one couldn't exist without the other, and vice versa. And now neither of them existed, thanks to her. She killed the monster, but she couldn't stop thinking that she sentenced an innocent to oblivion at the same time. She was happy shady Bob wasn't in the equation anymore. Now that Meredith, with her father's money, changed the chain of command and put herself permanently in charge of the Company (much to Angela Petrelli's chagrin), things were bound to be different. But how much different, Elizabeth would've never imagined.

A couple of weeks later, in the middle of the night, Elizabeth received a phone call from Meredith. The young woman didn't say anything, but she wanted Elizabeth to go in a Company facility just outside New York.

"Meredith, I don't understand. What's going on?"

"There's a choice you have to make. I really can't do it in your place."

"Great. Can you be more cryptic?"

"Sorry about that. Get your things, Liz, I'll stop by your house in thirty minutes."

Meredith refused to tell her anything until they arrived to that medical facility, and even once they were there Elizabeth didn't understand. If she had to see a patient, why wouldn't Meredith just say so?

"Listen to me carefully, cause what I'm going to tell you it's very… Well, I'm not sure myself of how to describe it. A few weeks after Sylar attacked you… Bob ordered his death."

"What? He was completely helpless!"

"Not exactly. Whatever you did to him, it was starting to wear off. He was going back to his old self… and Bob didn't want that to happen. He gave order to inject him with the Shanti virus… do you know what it is?"

"I read all the medical documentation you sent me when you offered me to work for you."

"Still waiting an answer on that one, darling."

"Keep waiting. So he's dead? Gabriel… is dead?"

"Judge for yourself," Meredith said, and opened a door.

Elizabeth didn't even need to watch the dying man in the bed on front of her to know it was Gabriel. She walked to the bottom of his bed, and clenched the metal footboard so hard her knuckles went white. Anything, not to start crying.

"He fought the virus for as long as he could, but there's no cure for this. I thought you might want to say goodbye, before it's too late."

"Is he… is he aware of…?"

"Completely. I'll be outside, if you need me," said Meredith, and after touching Elizabeth slightly on her shoulder, she left the room. Elizabeth kept her eyes closed, and listened to his ragged breath. How much time did he have left? Meredith was convinced he was going to die that night…

"Lizzie."

It was just a whisper, but Elizabeth heard it anyway. Her eyes snapped open, and she found herself staring at Gabriel. She moved and sat on his bed, taking his hand in hers.

"Hi."

"How…?"

"My soon-to-be new boss actually has a soul. I'm sorry for what I did to you…" said Elizabeth, starting to sob.

"I'm the one that has to ask for forgiveness, not you."

Elizabeth blinked a couple of times, trying to hold back the tears, "Then we call it a draw. What do you say?"

"You don't hate me… after all that I've done to you."

"You hurt me more than everyone else, and took away from me the things I cared most in the world. But I look at you now, and all I can see is my friend."

"I wish you wouldn't have left. Things would've been… different."

"We would've figured out this thing together?"

"You would've kept me from killing people. You were my anchor, Lizzie…"

"As you were mine. Gabriel, I…"

The sound of the heart monitor shifted into a single flat tone.

_Gabriel, I wish you could have a second chance. I know you would get things right this time…_

Elizabeth lowered her head and started to cry. In an instant, Meredith was next to her hugging her shoulders with her arm, attempting to console her.

"Elizabeth, we did the best we could to save him. I'm sorry, but…"

Meredith never got to end her phrase. The distinct sound of a steady heartbeat interrupted her, and left her speechless. Both women turned and looked at the man on the bed. He was unequivocally breathing. Elizabeth brought a hand on her chest, unable to believe what she was seeing; Meredith, after regaining a little composure, ran out of the room and yelled for some doctor to come there.

Elizabeth slowly sat on a chair against the wall and watched the doctors rush inside the room and start checking Gabriel's life signs, while Meredith explained what had just happened.

Elizabeth was speechless. Gabriel died in front of her, and then came back to life. How was that even possible? And she wasn't the only one wondering that. It took the doctors all the night and part of the following morning, but in the end they came out with a theory.

Sylar's DNA, according to them, assimilated too many abilities and changed its structure. The virus, then, attacking the mutated genetic code, it produced an unexpected reaction: he didn't kill the host, but erased every trace of the assimilated abilities from his DNA… and everything he ever learned in his life as collateral damage.

"What do you mean? He lost his memory?"

"Miss Porter, he lost _everything_. It's like…"

"Like what?" asked Meredith.

"Like he's a newborn. We theorize he could learn to speak and walk again, his brain doesn't show any sign of damage, after all, but his memories are gone forever. That's it. He's a blank slate."

"A blank slate that we have to hide," said Meredith, earning a surprised look from Elizabeth.

"What do you mean? I thought you were…"

"I'm in charge but I don't fool myself into thinking I'll sit on that chair for much longer. And… and he's not a threat. Not anymore. Everyone deserves a second chance. Even Sylar."

"You're wrong."

"What?"

"Sylar doesn't deserve a second chance."

Elizabeth got up from the chair and walked to the bed where her friend was laying. She took his hand and squeeze it gently.

"But Gabriel does."

_And I swear to God, _she promised, _I'll do everything I can to give you your life back._


	8. Epilogue

_One year later_

"My dear, I know I'm repeating myself but I can't tell you how happy I am you're working with us," said Angela Petrelli, walking down the corridor with Elizabeth. Elizabeth smiled.

"I'm glad you gave me an opportunity to prove myself. But I'm not going on the field, no matter how much you flatter me."

Angela gave her a surprised look, then she smiled and shook her head. "I'm not saying you have to decide now… just think about it. You might get bored after a few years of working behind a desk listening to someone else's problems."

"Listening to others is what I do best, and let's face it, I'm pretty useless out there…"

Angela was going to reply, when she saw a face she clearly wasn't expecting to see. Elizabeth saw Angela's lips tightening and her eyes narrowed slightly, and she turned to see who could've ever provoked that reaction.

From the other end of the corridor, Meredith was smiling at them. She was wearing a black tailleur and her long red hair fell loosely on her shoulders, bouncing slightly at every step. Elizabeth couldn't help but smile. She remembered clearly how Meredith got kicked out of the Company a couple of months after what had happened to Gabriel. Angela almost got her deported to England, and before Meredith left she had all her belongings checked, in case she was trying to steal information from them on behalf of her father.

Meredith accepting everything without flinching should've pointed Angela in the right direction, but the elder woman was too busy taking back the power the Kershaws stole from her to notice that a whole box of musical CDs passed from Meredith's office to Elizabeth's. It was a plan they devised the same day they decided Gabriel had to be protected at all costs: Elizabeth would've kept the man and all the related information secret while Meredith would've taken the blame for everything. Especially the logic bomb hidden in the mainframe that 'casually' erased some files and all the documentation related to Sylar and Gabriel Gray. There were no proofs to link the British girl to that attack, but Angela managed to use it anyway to kick her out of the city and the Country.

Until now.

"Meredith. What a surprise. Is the Immigration aware you're back here?"

"Of course, Angela. They gave me their blessing months ago, when I got the chance to explain that unfortunate misunderstanding of ours."

Meredith then gave Elizabeth a broad smile. "And there you are! I've heard you're doing a great job here. Congratulations, darling. Got a couple hours for me?"

Elizabeth could sense Angela's resentment growing, but she didn't care. Her friend was back there, and Elizabeth had every intention to spend time with her.

"Of course, Mere. Lunch? My treat."

"Perfect. I'll wait for you by the exit. Angela, always a pleasure," said Meredith, turning and disappearing behind a corner. Elizabeth, still smiling, moved to go back to her office but Angela grabbed her by the arm.

"Elizabeth… what does that mean?"

"I'm going out for lunch with a friend, Angela, what else?"

"Curious choice for a friend. I'm just saying."

"Are you questioning my loyalty, Angela? That's new."

"Nonsense! I'm not questioning your loyalty, Elizabeth… Just, pay attention. I know the Krenshaws, deceit is in their DNA."

"I experienced it first-hand last year, remember? But it wasn't nothing personal, so…"

"Lunch?"

"Lunch. Unless I have work to do?"

"No," Angela hand waved the question. "If there's someone here that knows the meaning of hard work, that someone's you. Enjoy your lunch break."

Elizabeth nodded and went to her office. She leant against the closed door and took a deep breath. She cursed silently. Why Meredith had to come there? It wasn't the plan. But on the other hand… Meredith waited a year to come back to the States and take her revenge on Angela. And considering what was going to happen, she was in no position to judge.

Elizabeth gathered her things, and feigning a calm she wasn't feeling she went out of the Company building. Meredith was waiting for her, and without a word they both got in the girl's car.

"Still sure you want to go through with it?"

"No," said Elizabeth, staring at her grandfather's pocket watch. "But it has to be done."

_Even if I don't want to_, though the girl. Meredith touched her arm and gave her a little smile.

"We'll be there in a few minutes. Why don't you tell me the news?"

"There's nothing new. Same old life," said Elizabeth, but Meredith gave her another look and raised an eyebrow.

"So that," and she motioned for her stomach, "is you getting fat and not what I think it is?"

Elizabeth watched the tiny bump on her belly, and she smiled to her friend.

"Yes, I'm getting fatter and fatter. It's all fault of my desk job."

"Yeah… so that's the reason why Angela is so protective of you? Or is it because…?"

There was no point in denying. Peter and she had grown closer and closer, first because of Sylar's sick mind games, and then because of her involvement with his mother. The transition from friend to couple didn't happen overnight, but it certainly looked fast to the people that didn't know what they went through before and after Sylar's 'death'. Rafe's family, for starters. Hers as well. Just Julie, her sister, knew of her pregnancy, and swore to keep the secret. No one knew, except her, Angela and Peter. And now Meredith.

"I can't help but feel guilty. It's just been a little more than a year since Rafe's death. But it feels like it happened to someone else, in another life."

"And today we cut the last tie. Again, are you sure?"

"I've told you. It has to be done."

It took Elizabeth a whole year to bring Gabriel back, and according to the doctors that worked with her in secret, it was something close to a miracle. He learned from scratch how to talk, to walk and to write, but his memory was too damaged, he never remembered a thing about his past actions as Sylar, or his life as Gabriel Gray. No one could anticipate if that was a permanent condition or if he would get her memory back, but the latter option with time became more and more unlikely. He was told he was a watchmaker in Queens, that his family was dead and that he was an honest, kind person with a great talent for his job. Sylar was dead, no one would look for him, and Elizabeth had learned from his work at the Company that the best way to hide something was to put it in plain sight. Sylar deserved his fate, but Gabriel deserved a second chance at the life the Company so ruthless ruined.

And in order to get that, they wouldn't have to see each other again. For Gabriel, it was easier to accept the deal… she was just one of the people that helped him heal, after all. But for Elizabeth, it was like ripping her heart from the chest all over again. Maybe The Haitian should've wiped her head too, once he removed his memories of her from Gabriel's head. It was incredible how fast they bonded again, but if at first that connection was considered important for the healing process, now it was considered a timebomb that could trigger his memory. A liability, and they couldn't afford that.

It took all of Elizabeth's persuasion to convince Meredith to stay in the car while she went inside the watch store. Elizabeth couldn't help but remember what happened the last time she had come there, but again, it felt so distant like it happened in another life. She sighed, and took her grandfather's watch out of her purse.

"Hello? Is there someone here?"

Gabriel appeared from the back of the store, removing his glasses. "Good morning," he said, and Elizabeth took a deep breath, trying not to react. "How can I help you?"

No cardigans or nerdy clothes, that was the only thing he retained from his past life, and Elizabeth suppressed a little smile, remembering when she had told Gabriel how much that new style suited him. Another deep breath, and Elizabeth moved closer to the watchmaker.

"Yes… Yes, you can. It's this watch. I think it's broken."

Gabriel took the pocket watch from Elizabeth's hands and opened it, observing the mechanisms with his work glasses.

"Yes, one of the wheels is broken, but I can repair it easily. In a couple of days…"

"Actually, there's no rush. I also came here to sell it," lied Elizabeth, forcing a convincing smile on her lips.

"Sell it? This watch is an antique, are you sure…?"

"Yes. It's time for it to find a new owner," she said, looking straight at Gabriel's eyes. Gabriel slightly frowned.

"Have we met before? I'm sorry, your face… feels familiar."

"I'm not from here. Just passing through."

"It must be difficult, letting so something so precious."

"It is. But it has to be done."

Gabriel nodded, and took put from under the table what he needed to write a receipt to the young woman in front of him.

"Can you tell me your name?"

But when he raised his eyes, the blond girl was nowhere to be seen, and the store door was closing. Gabriel frowned again, and took the watch in his hand. He couldn't understand why she decided to leave the watch there without getting a penny in return. People can be so weird, he concluded.

He also decided he would keep the watch for himself, once it was repaired. It was a too beautiful a piece to be sold to his average clientele. There was also something special about that watch… he just wanted to treasure it, like it meant something to him, something he couldn't exactly place or remember.

Just outside the store, Elizabeth leant on the brick wall, smiling and crying at the same time. The emotions she felt coming from Gabriel where exactly the ones she was hoping to feel.

"Did it go as you planned?" asked Meredith, waiting for her friend just outside the car.

Elizabeth nodded, and reached her friend. Yes, things went exactly as she planned. She couldn't become a true member of the Petrelli family without a fair share of dark secrets, Elizabeth sarcastically thought. Maybe Gabriel would never remember his past, maybe he would never remember her… but life wasn't written in stone, and this Elizabeth knew very well. Anything could happen, like anything could trigger his memory. The watch's role wasn't to trigger his memories of her now, but to lead him to her the day his memory would come back.

_This time I won't leave you alone_, Gabriel, thought Elizabeth while getting in the car.

_Come find me_.

The End


End file.
